Centrifugal separator



Feb. 9 1926.

F. w. MGENTIRE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed June 18, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 9 1926.

F. W. MCENTIRE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1923 A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 9 1926.

FQ W. MCENTIRE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 18, 1925 'l HNI IN1/EN TOR. /T/f/K MFA/ffm- A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,299

F. w. MCENTIRE CENTRI FUGAL S EPARATOR Filed June 18, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. 3l: /T//lZ/V-ffn/r/RE ATT RNEYS.

Patented` Feb. 9, 1926.

1,572,299A PATENT OFFICE.

FRED W. MCENTIRE, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

CENTRTFUGAL sEPAaAToR.

Application filed June 18, 1923.d .Serial No. 646,170.

To allwhom t may concern:

' Be it known that I, FRED WV. MCENTIRE,

a citizen of the United States, and a resid-ent -of Salt Lake' City, county of Salt Lake,

and State of Utah, have invented -a new and useful Centrifugal Separator, of .which the following is a specification.

The present'invention relates to improvements in centrifugal separators and its particular object is to provide a separator that may be used successfully for the separation lof solid matter `suspended in a liquid in cases where the difference in specific gravity w between the elements to be separated is com illustrated in the present application is an paratively small. The device described and improvement on the centrifugal separator 'described in my Patent #1,481,426, dated i f to the ilighty nature of the solids and the` January 2,2, 1924. It is principally intended y to be used in the vsugar `industry for the f separation of solids from the carbonated juice of sugar beets. This separation, due

particular difficulty which can be overcome (onlyby taking advantage of every point v presenting itself furtheringan easy operation-of the machine and a handling of the vanced to their respective receiving vessels. The 1eferred form of the presentl invention is'illustrated in the accompanying drawi ings in which Figure 1` shows a vertical secsolids in such a careful manner that they remain clear of the liquid while .being adtion through -the separator, Figure 2 a' horizontal section taken along line IIL-II- of Figure 1, Figure., 3 a detail view 'in plan of a collecting element, Figure 4 a side view of the same, partly shown in section, Figure 5 a plan' view of a second collecting element, Figure 6A a vertical section through the same, Figures 7 and 8 vertical sections` taken along lines VII--VVII and VIII-4 VIII of Figure 6, Figure 9 a plan view of a basket frame, Figure 10 a vertical section through the same/'and Figure 11 .a detail view of a single frame element as viewed from line XI-XI of Figure 10. lVhile I have shown only the prefered form of the invention fit should be understood that various` changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsfhereto attached without departing from the' spirit of the invention:

Referring to the drawings in detail, a vertical shaft (1) is supported on a ball'thrust bevel gear (6) on the' horizontal shaft (7) l supporteil in standards (8) and adapted to be rotated by means of any suitable power engaging the pulley A collar (V11) `on the vertical shaft (l)l has the bottom (12) offa basket (13) secured thereto by means of screws (14). The basket comprised besides the bottom plate (12) .a conical wall (16) secured to thebottom plate by vmeans of pivots (17) passing through a flange (18) of the bottom plate and a top (19) secured by means. of screws (21) passing through corresponding flanges (22) and (23) of the wall and the top. The top plate which is also conical in form has a large central-opening (24) and has a structure (26) depending therefrom defining an up-y per chamber (27) and a lower chamber (28). The plate (29) forming the -bottom of the upper chamber and the top of the lower chamber has a large center opening (31) and is of` slightly less diameter than the top of the basket so as to leave an annular space (32) through which the upper chamber communicates with that portion of the basket adjoining the wall. The member (33) forming theside and the bottom of the lower chamber has a large central perforation (34) through which itcommuni- Cates with the interior of the basket, no other communication being provided.

Around the shaft (1) is placed a sleeve (36) resting Von the collar (11) and terminating' at its upper end in a bevel gear (37) meshing with a second bevel gear (38) on the horizontal shaft (7) previously mentioned. It should be mentioned that the gear ratio between the bevel gears (37) and (38)]diflers slightly from that between the bevel gears (4) and (6) so that the sleeve (36) rotates at a speed differing slightly from that of the shaft `,(1). A basket frame ,(41) is secured to the sleeve in the follow-` ing manner: A plurality of arms (42) eX` tend radially from the hub (43) resting on a flange (44) of the sleeve (36) and engage with their outer ends a plurality' of uprights (46) arranged symmetrically so as i part of the basket.

Spreading plates (48) are bolted to the arms as shown at (49). A second set of radial arms (5l) engaging the upper portion of the basket frame serves to reinforce the same. The uprights are rounded as shown at (52) and projected toward the center as at (53) to present stream line faces preventing any solids to lodge on the inside. EXtern'ally the basket frame has secured thereon a plurality of windings of a spiral guideway (54) comprising preferably an angle iron one flange of which is secured to the uprights of the frame while the other flange forms a gradually and slowly ascending path for the solid material confined between the basket and the :basket frame. rlhe winding as shown' in the drawings represents a double thread withthe two ends of the two threads terminating at thelevel of the top of the basket frame on opposite sides of the shaft. Itwill be noted that the guideways lead directly to the open annular passage (32) through which the solids may enter the upper chamber (27). This entry necessitates a-change in the direction of motion since the material traveling upwardly in 'spiral winding up to that time has now to be turned to adopt an inward course and to facilitate this turning movement and to allow the same to be carried out withoutl agitating the material more than is ab'- solutely necessary I provide plows (56) at the end of each guideway which .are set in such a manner as to divert the material in radial direction.

A rcylindrical housing (57) surrounds the To collect the. separated material I provide stationary collecting pipes (66) and (67) in the upper and lower chambers. The same are curved to present their open mouths to the revolving material so that the latter is forced into the pipes. Each pipe is supported in abox (68) resting on a plate (69) covering the cylindrical housing and holding against endwis'e motion nuts (71) adapted to berotated by means of any suit-v able wrench. The nuts engage threaded portions`(72) ofthe pipes so that the latter may be advanced or moved backwardly `by rotating the nuts (7l). -The pipes (66) Aand (67) with their peculiar curvatures are shown in'detail in Figures 3 'to 6 and it (Get) into the bottom.

should be noted particularly that the curved portion of each pipe is provided with rubber or other suitable nonabrasive lining (73) which protects the metal pipe from the abrasive action of the materialto be handled. Each pipe terminates in a rubber nipple (74) preferably reinforced by wire netting (76).

The operation of the device may be described as follows: Material to be separated is fed' into'thebottom portion of the basket from lthe pipe (59). 'Ihe basket rand the basket frame are rotated at slightly different speeds whereby Vthe material is forced outwardly by centrifugal action. The solids being slightly heavier than the liquid are thrown farthest and engage the wall of the basket.. They are then Oently carried upward by -the spiral guieways until they reach the level of the upper chamber when the plows (56) will gradually and gently change their spiral direction into radial direction so that it fills tlie upper chamber and is fed into the pipe (6(3). In the meautime the. liquid remains in vthe ,central'portion of the basket and is carried upward through the openting .(3-1) into the lower .chamber from where it is discharged into the pipe (67).

While my machine `may be used where the difference in specific gravity of the materials to be separated is comparatively small it will render effective service where the difference is more pronounced.

I claim:

l. In a separator of the character der scribed, a basket,l a `basket frame rotatably mounted therein, means for rotating the basket and the basket frame at slightly different speeds and means for feeding material to beseparat'ed into the basket whereby the heavier particles are forced into the space between the basket and the basket frame, 'the latter frame consisting of a plurality of upright members In'eseutiug streamlined inner faces so as to present a. minimum resistance to the flow of the material.

2. In a separator of the character described, a-fbasket, means for rotating thesame, means for feeding material to be 1 separated into the basket wherebyw the heavier particles are thrown in contact with the wall of the basket, a spiral guideway for guiding the said particles upwardly, a plurallty of upright members supporting the gnideway presenting streamlined inner faces for reducing the resistance offered to the flow of material to a minimum and radial arms holding the upright members in place.

3. In a separator of the character described, a basket, means for rotating the same, means for feeding material to be separated into the basket whereby the heavier particles are thrown in contact with the wall of the basket, a spiral guideway for guiding the said particles upwardly, a plurality of upright members supporting the guidewa presenting streamlined inner faces for re ucing the resistance offered to the flow of material to a minimum and two sets ot radial arms mounted one above the other 'for holding the upright members in place.

4. In a separator of the character described, a basket, means for feeding ma,- tcrial to be separated to the bottom thereof, means for rotating the basket causing the heavier particles of the material to be flung into the proximity of the basket wall while confining the lighter material to the inner portion of `the basket a differentially rotated spiral path adjacent the basket wall proportioned to engage with the heavier par' ticles only to carry the same upward and to produce a shea-ring action relative to the ungulded llghter 1nater1als, and a plow substantially coextensive with the width of the path traversing the upper end thereof for agitating the heavier material and forcing the same inwardly.

5. In a separator of the character described, a central shaft having a, basket fixed thereto, a sleeve on the shaft having a basket frame fixed thereto disposed on the inside of the basket, means for revolving the shaft and the sleeve at di'erent speeds and a second sleeve surrounding the first sleeve and formed with a hollow wall adapted to discharge material to be separated into the bottom of the basket in the form of a thin sheet, the second sleeve Haring outwardly at the bottom so as to dciect the material from the center of the basket, and the basket frame having spreader plates' fixed thereto in overlying relation to the discharged material.

FRED W. MoENllRE. 

